Pros: I hate following VK, he does such a good job of dissecting a course, it makes it difficult to follow with anything new, but here goes nothing. Kern River Park at Mohawk and Truxton is a small part of the much larger Kern River Parkway. The parkway is a native riparian area which extends over 30 miles through Bakersfield along the Kern River. It extends east to west from the mouth of the Kern Canyon to Enos Lane and is comprised of over 6,000 acres of trails, parks, and waterways. One of the most used areas is the Kern River Parkway Trail, a paved road used for commuting and exercising by walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, and cyclists. The park is fairly centrally located in the city of Bakersfield and is just a few miles from San Lauren DGC. The course plays on a stretch of land between Truxton Ave. and the levee on which the Kern River Parkway trail sits. Thanks to the drought the Kern River has been dry for some time. The course plays down this little green belt past volleyball courts and across an expressway and around a "swamp" to make for a fairly challenging little layout. The baskets are mixed, and tee signs are quite nice and colorful with the usual info. The holes are long enough and challenging enough to make for a very fun round. The locals play a full 18 course by adding a few holes in between and playing to baskets twice, which also prevents the long walk back to the parking lot if you're only playing 12. There is also a great group of locals that play this course on a fairly frequent schedule. The oil derrick pumping at hole 7s tee is also an interesting touch.

Cons: The course has serious design flaws. The biggest flaw being there is a giant expressway going right through the middle of the course. The expressway in the middle means a long walk either down and under the expressway after hole 5 and hole 11 or to cross at the crosswalk at Truxton, or jaywalking across Mohawk, which all the signs say is forbidden because its probably rather dangerous. The second flaw being the narrowness of the green belt brings the heavy traffic from the roads into play. For inexperienced players a bad throw could easily mean throwing into heavy traffic. The baskets for hole 1 and hole 11 are very close to Truxton and could easily result in a disc going into the street. The baskets for hole 5 and hole 11 are located quite close to Mohawk. The third flaw being the pathways and exercise areas that play through the course, and make for dangerous throws. Several fairways throw around fairly blind corners. For a RHBH thrower Hole 1 has you hyzering out over the parking lot. With some very dangerous obs in play accuracy is an absolute must or you risk a serious accident. Hole 5 and Hole 12s fairways cross, not that big a deal because you are teeing off while facing the others tee, but still.

Other Thoughts: In 2010, this course was forcibly redesigned when the city of Bakersfield extended Mohawk St across the Kern River cutting through the middle of the 9 hole course that was here. In its place a new 12/18 hole course has reemerged. Despite design flaws, or maybe because of them, this is probably my favorite Bakersfield course, excluding Hart, although Hart is a giant monster, and Kern is a much more relaxing and easy throw, Hart is obviously the better and more challenging of the two. The compressed layout of this course definitely adds to the challenge and thrill, yet it is tempting fate. Although I know under most conditions that I can control my shots fairly well. I know from experience that I have a tendency to track moving objects out of the corner of my eye and sometimes throw at them so throwing into the street could be a definite likelihood.

Pros: There's a lot to like about this course. The park sits in a long, narrow piece of land squeezed into between the Kern River walking/jogging/bicycle path and a busy street (Truxtan) and then the course is split by another busy street (Mohawk). This unique setting definitely created problems for the designers.
The park itself, is a nicely manicured area which sits in a kind of a natural bowl. There is ample parking by # 1, plenty of garbage cans available, concrete tee pads and nice new tee signs. The new signs are colored ones with the sponsor's name, OB, Par, distance, hole # and the clubs name, Kern River DGC, all clearly written on them. The baskets are older Liberty models. I found them hard to spot in the trees and shrubs.
Navigation was more than a little confusing for me. I backtracked several times trying to make sense of the layout. I initially missed whatever sign pointed the way that crossed Mohawk to get to the second part of the course. And I don't think I ever fully figured out which basket was 4 and where # 5 was. I believe I played them both to the same basket.

Cons: Beside having some navigation issues, this course has a couple of real safety problems.

IMO, # 7 is just a poor design. With trees on the left and a fairly narrow fairway, many players are going to end up throwing right into the incoming traffic on Truxtan.

# 8 is a blind throw throwing up a walking path.

And then # 10 is another problem hole. You're throwing around the corner blind, again into walking/biking path.

#11. I liked throwing on the hole here but with the basket so close to the corner, How many discs have landed on either Mohawk or Truxtan?

The walk around after # 5 is very long and I'm sure many players will take the short cut and just cross Mohawk.

Other Thoughts: I want to like this course. The course is long enough to play as an intermediate course. Unfortunately, I think 2-3 holes should be shortened (7 & 10 especially) to lessen the safety risks involved.

Bakersfield has this nice range of courses stair stepping up in nice increments, from the very easy Pitch & Putt beginner course at San Laurel to the brutally hard physical challenge of Shark Tooth Mountain.

Bakersfield disc golfers have a nice variety of courses to choose from, with two easy beginner courses, one slightly harder beginner type, two intermediate courses and then two courses that will challenge anyone.

Pros: New layout is fun. Parking is close to hole number 1. light elevation and lightly wooded. baskets are nice and concrete tee pads are nice grass and scenery is green.

Cons: thousands of squirrels & holes, conjested areas of people exercising and relaxing. tee pads too short to throw on. 12th hole is not near the parking area. had to create my own holes on the way back. Update the maps if there is a new 18 hole layout.

Other Thoughts: overall not bad course. convienently located and creative shots make you use your imagination to use skill shots. oh yea and make sure to print out the map or you will get lost!!!!!

Pros: -Great variety in different shots
-Not every shot requires a back-hand
-you're able to skip off the grass easily
-the O.B. keeps the course challenging
-there are two shots where you get to skip off a long paved road
-baskets aren't messed with nor bent
-locals are friendly and will help you
-couple of hyzer shots

Cons: -there are only a couple of tee signs and can be confusing for new players to the course
-have to use a cross-walk to cross a street
-have to use a couple of baskets twice

Other Thoughts: It's a pretty good course and is centrally located in Bakersfield. I enjoy playing it, being around the locals, and the different types of shots. Go and play it! You won't regret it!

Pros: This course is very centrally located in Bakersfield which is very convenient. It has newer baskets and some shot variety with a couple of anhyzer holes for RHBH that you don't always find on shorter courses. The people there were very friendly and helpful, which is always a big plus. If you play pavement as OB it ups the challenge of the course significantly. Lots of birdie opportunities.

Cons: Navigation is a problem. They put in signs but they don't tell you much. I hate to say that because I think this was part of a recent re-design so I want to be respectful of people's time and energy they have put into this course while still being honest about the shortcomings. The tees are short and easy to slip off the end. There are a couple of oil pumps with fences around them on the course that would be pretty easy for your disc to land in and hard to get back out. A busy street splits the course and you have to walk way around either way to avoid jaywalking (big sign saying to not do that). The course wasn't very busy when I was there but if too many park users got in there several holes would be unplayable.

Other Thoughts: Looks like the locals play a few "bonus" holes including playing 12's tee toward 11's basket (right after you hole out on 6) and tee on the grass near the back corner of the park to 7's basket. I am moving to Bakersfield in January and will probably play this course a lot due to its convenient location and friendly locals.

Pros: Lots of different shot types. Well maintained, grass, shade and challenging.

Cons: Since the city put a road through the park you have to cross the steet a couple of times. Mixed baskets due to theft.

Other Thoughts: I love this course. I play it a lot. Great layout, fun to play. There are some optional hole to play. First timers might have a little bit of a tuff time following the course. Feel free to message me or call me if you need help. You should be able to find my number on my profile.